ACCME Accreditation Explained for Practicing Physicians

December 2023 · 5 min read · ACCME · Oakstone

When you see "ACCME-accredited" on a CME programme, it means something specific — and important. Here's what it actually means for your credits, your licence renewal, and your employer reimbursement.

What is ACCME?

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) is the independent body that accredits organisations providing CME to US physicians. Established in 1981, ACCME sets the standards that ensure CME is independent of commercial influence, evidence-based, and relevant to clinical practice.

Only organisations that meet ACCME's rigorous criteria are authorised to award AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ — the gold standard for physician CME in the United States.

AMA PRA Category 1 vs Category 2

There are two categories of AMA PRA credits:

• Category 1 Credits™ — awarded by ACCME-accredited providers like Oakstone CME. These are universally accepted by state medical boards, specialty boards, and employer CME administrators. Required for most MOC programmes.
• Category 2 Credits — self-directed learning activities you document yourself (reading journals, teaching, etc.). Accepted by some boards but not all, and typically not accepted for employer reimbursement.

For employer reimbursement, you almost always need Category 1 Credits from an ACCME-accredited provider. All CMEescape programmes use Oakstone CME, which has maintained ACCME accreditation for over 50 years.

State board requirements

All 50 US state medical licensing boards accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits from ACCME-accredited providers. Requirements vary by state — most require 25–50 credits per licence renewal cycle (typically 2 years), with some states specifying hours in particular topics like opioid prescribing, pain management, or implicit bias training.

Check your state medical board's current requirements before selecting a programme. CMEescape's concierge can help identify which Oakstone CME programme best meets your specific state requirements.

MOC and ABMS boards

If you hold board certification through an ABMS member board (ABIM, ABFM, ABS, etc.), you are likely in a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) programme. Most ABMS boards accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for MOC points, though the conversion ratio varies by board. Oakstone CME programmes typically offer both CME credits and ABIM MOC points simultaneously.

This article is for informational purposes. CME requirements vary by state and specialty board. Always verify current requirements with your state medical board.